The Global Development Incubator

The Global Development Incubator, Inc. (GDI) supports innovative organizations and initiatives that have the opportunity to create large-scale social change. GDI has supported efforts such as the launch of the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) at the Aspen Institute and the Initiative for Smallholder Finance, among others. Funders of initiatives have included: Aspen Institute, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Citi Foundation, Ford Foundation, Lemelson Foundation, Omidyar Network, Overbrook Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Skoll Foundation, and Shell Foundation. The Global Development Incubator was founded by Dalberg in 2007, and is now an independent US 501C3 non-profit organization with public charity status.

To bring ideas, initiatives and organizations to scale, GDI has two programs: the Initiative Incubator and the Social Enterprise Accelerator. Both programs draw on a unique set of advisors and service providers to help us support the initiatives and social enterprises.

GDI's Initiative Incubator supports the development, piloting and scaling-up of innovative social impact initiatives. It provides a venue for funders to host new initiatives and to leverage a proven approach to building new organizations.

GDI's Social Enterprise Accelerator aims to increase the scale, reach and impact of social enterprises. The Accelerator works with selected social enterprises that have a minimum of three years of operation, an initial demonstration of results, and most importantly, a senior management team that is confident their organization has the potential to drive large-scale social change. The social enterprises that would most benefit from the Accelerator are operating with a budget of at least $2 million. In partnership with the organization, the Accelerator brings together world-class service providers in an integrated two-year program of support to set the right growth strategy and build the organization's capacity.